Supervisors to keep track of sheriff's department's aviation program

The Sheriff's Department received approval to seek bids for equipment to be installed in a plane using Homeland Security grant money and funds confiscated from drug dealers. The plane will be used to fly regular air patrols of the county.(Photo: Tulare County Sheriff's Department)

Tulare County Supervisor Kuyler Crocker wants to keep track of the money spent on the sheriff’s department’s aviation program.

On Tuesday, Crocker, the board’s newly-appointed vice-chairman, asked Assistant Sheriff Tom Sigley to provide a written update on money used for the department’s two planes.

“The request to the sheriff’s department was to know how much of an investment has been made into the aviation program,” he said. “We, as the board of supervisors, see the individual transactions. And when the transactions are made months apart, it’s hard to get a scope of the investment.”

Sigley said he planned to respond to Crocker’s request. So far, the sheriff’s department has spent about $ 1.25 million, with about $300,000 from the county’s general fund, Sigley said. The rest of the money spent came from an insurance payout and allocations from seized forfeitures.

Crocker said the sheriff’s department aviation program has support from supervisors.

“The reason I wanted the update is that this highlights we are committed to crime prevention,” he said. “This is a prime example we are committed to the aviation program.”

Earlier this week, supervisors approved the sheriff’s department’s request to seek bids on a thermal-imaging camera to be installed on the department’s newly-purchased plane. Sigley said money from Department of Homeland Security will be used to help pay for the camera and its installation.

“What we are asking for is not new money,” he said.

Crocker said the sheriff’s department actively seeks out federal grants, a move that reduces local expenditures.

“We are always looking for support from our federal partners,” he said. “We are always actively looking for opportunities.”

Providing law enforcement and other county employees with the best technology available makes a difference, Crocker said. Recently, the sheriff’s department helped Woodlake police captured two individuals who were trying to avoid arrest by hiding in tree groves.

“They followed them in a rural area,” Crocker said. “They followed in an area that’s hard to search. It is critical.”

The sheriff’s department has the same equipment as the California Highway Patrol, Crocker said.

After getting the supervisors’ approval, the sheriff’s department will return for an additional request to authorize the purchase. The sheriff’s department said it is expected it will take up to eight months to get the equipment installed.